Sinking
by Simallyher
Summary: Daniel keeps having a sinking feeling especially after he and Betty have a fight.


**A/N: **This is just drabble that came to me while relaxing. I hope it's not too hard to read, I may need to re-edit. So please read and tell me what you think. It's from Daniel's POV, I like seeing things through his eyes, we spend so much time seeing it through Betty's.

**Disclaimer **I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its affiliates; the song lyrics belong to Aly and AJ, terrific singers. Please don't sue!

**Sinking**

_'You make me feel out of my element,_

_Like I'm walking on broken glass._

_Like my worlds spinning in slow motion,_

_And your moving too fast' – Chemicals React (Aly and AJ)_

He was sinking. It was hard to deny such an event was occurring when he could feel his world dropping with him. They'd had a fight the night before, something so pointless he couldn't even remember; but she wasn't here now. She'd called in sick, refusing to even speak to him. So maybe it wasn't so pointless. He tried to think back to their argument, drawing a blank he sighed, stretching out in his chair. Reaching for his phone he almost called her. He laughed painfully, how could he ask her what they were fighting about? She'd only get angrier at him.

'Daniel?'

'What!' He snapped at his sister.

'Whoa there tiger, just wondering if Betty had those files ready for me,' Alexis laughed off his abrupt outburst.

'She's not here,' he grimaced; the thought alone left him feeling queasy.

'Something wrong?' She entered the office.

'No...Yes!' He sighed. 'We had a fight last night and I can't remember what it was about.'

'Hard to apologise for something you don't remember,' she stated. 'Hey, isn't Henry leaving this week?'

A light bulb went off and he groaned. 'Oh God, how could I forget!

'I don't know,' she frowned. 'You two have been butting heads over it for weeks now.'

'I've got to go,' he grabbed his jacket.

'Daniel, I need you here!' Alexis called to him.

'You're running Meade Publications Alexis, you'll survive.'

'But Daniel...' She stopped short.

'She needs me Alexis, let me do this for her,' He saw the sympathy radiating from her.

'Go,' she whispered.

His car was already waiting for him when he reached the ground floor, sometimes he loved his sister. The ride to Queens was reasonably quick, not giving him enough time to think of a plausible excuse. All he needed was something to get inside the door and he was home free, sort of. He raced from the car and up the steps; his hand poised ready to knock he froze. That sinking feeling was back, he could feel the concrete beneath his feet give way to him.

'I'm assuming you were going to knock with that hand,' Ignacio stated, bringing him back to reality.

'I was thinking of that,' he smiled nervously. 'Will she see me?'

'No,' it was blunt and it hurt like hell. 'But I'll let you try.'

'Thank you,' he breathed a sigh of relief.

'I'm not promising anything Daniel,' the old man warned. 'Henry's already giving her hell; you were the last person we'd think to give her trouble.'

'It was unintentional,' he explained. 'I just...I wanted to...I wanted to protect her.' He gave a weak laugh. 'I, Daniel Meade, wanted to protect someone.'

'It happens,' Ignacio patted his back. 'When we find ourselves at the mercy of emotions we can't fathom.'

'I'm not in-love Mr Suarez,' He answered sternly.

'Maybe not,' Ignacio smiled at him. 'Loves a funny thing, Daniel.'

He let the words sink in, and with them came that feeling again, the one he'd been having trouble shaking. Ignacio gestured towards the stairs; taking them two at a time he found himself outside of her room, this time he didn't hesitate, he knocked and waited.

'Come in,' came a soft voice. He entered. 'Daniel!' She sat upright.

'I'm sorry,' he blurted. 'I'm sorry about last night and not being supportive.' He was hoping to get this out before she spoke again. 'I'm sorry that I'm not the type of friend you need, I'm sorry that when you needed me I pulled away, and I'm so sorry for letting you leave angry at me last night.'

'If this is you trying to feel better about yourself, you can forget it,' she snapped glared at him.

'Damn it Betty! I'm sorry, what more is there?'

'You obviously don't know do you?' She stared at him.

'Obviously not! It's obviously something that I can't understand but of course you can!' He snapped back. 'I'm not a psychic, Betty; I don't know what women what or what they're thinking!'

'I'm not asking you to be!'

'Yes you are!' He laughed. 'You are expecting me to know what's going on here, when I don't have a clue! I don't even know why is it that every time something goes wrong with us I feel like my entire world is collapsing.'

'Because Daniel,' she rose and stood in front of him. 'Without me, you're world would fall apart.'

'I don't mean work Betty,' he whispered. 'I mean everything.'

'Everything is a broad subject,' she glared at him.

'Will you stop being so defensive,' he asked softly. 'I came to apologise for last night, what I said...'

'Was wrong,' she finished for him.

'No, it came from somewhere that felt right,' He stepped around her and sat on her bed. 'It was right Betty.'

'Then why bother apologising?'

'Because, this,' he gestured between them. 'This anger we have going here isn't right.'

'I don't have the energy to decipher you today Daniel,' she sighed sitting in the chair at her dressing table.

'Try being me,' he cracked a wry smile. 'It's like this every day for me.' She didn't look pleased. 'Look, all I'm trying to say is...'

She cut him off. 'Your right and I'm wrong?'

'NO!' He burst, standing up. 'Stop it, just stop Betty. For once in your life, listen to what I'm saying! It's not that difficult!' He stared at her. 'Just keep your mouth shut.'

'Oh that's supposed to count towards brownie points,' she snapped. 'You waltz in here, claiming that your apologising and then tell me that you were right all along. Forgive me but—'

He did the only thing that seemed right; he pulled her to him, crushing her lips against his in a moment of complete weakness. He just needed her to shut up for five seconds and let his brain think. And a lot of thinking it was doing; it thought how smooth her lips were; how easily they fitted against his; and how at that very moment she was kissing him back. Another thought that flitted through his head was that he was sinking faster, with every muted breath he was falling. Her hands raked up his arms, coming to rest on his shoulders; her hands playing with his hair. She was grounding him, giving him an end to the never-ending fall. They parted, panting.

'Daniel,' she breathed.

'Don't speak Betty,' he chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. 'Whatever you do, just let me talk.' She nodded, mouth shut. He took a deep breath. 'Don't interrupt.'

He pulled back, sitting her back in the chair he'd pulled her from. Raking a hand through his hair, he kept glancing at her as he paced the short distance of his room a few times.

'You and Henry, where can I start? You willingly entered into the 5month relationship knowing at that the end of it you are going to get your heart broken, and yes I realise that it is your heart that is going to do the breaking but really Betty? You deserve more than that!' He threw his arms in the air. 'You deserve a guy who will choose you; a guy who will want you so much that you consume everything that he is; and Henry can't give you that. So yes, last night I got a little harsh,' he saw her choke back a laugh.' Alright, a lot harsh, but Betty, someone had to be. He is leaving, in two days Henry is walking out that door and he's never coming back, and I say good riddance!'

'Can I speak now?' She asked.

He held up a hand, 'not finished.' He paced a little longer, a few more thoughts connecting together; a few more words linking into a loop. He paused mid-stride and faced her. 'You drive me crazy.' He stated. 'You were hired because you were the one person my father knew I wouldn't be attracted to, he thought he knew me so well that he wouldn't have to worry about finding me in anymore compromising situations,' he watched a tear roll down her cheek, he knew he'd hurt her back then. 'But he was wrong,' he gave a short hysterical laugh. 'If he knew the man I would become, he would never have hired you. But then who would have figured that Daniel Meade, playboy and media's best friend would ever straighten his ways; and who would have guessed that the reason for the change would be his quirky, albeit 'unattractive' assistant that would do it?' He just stared at her. 'Who could ever understand the depth of emotion this woman brought out in the party-hard, playboy? So much so, that he stands before her now thinking of the words of her father, _'Loves a funny thing, Daniel.'_ And it is Betty, it's funny, excruciating, confusing, but the best feeling I've ever felt.'

'Sofia,' she whispered.

'What?' He faced her, after realising himself what he'd just figured out. 'No, not Sofia,' he grinned. 'You. It's you Betty, everything leads back to you.'

'Daniel,' she sighed.

'Don't _Daniel_ me Betty, it's patronising and well, frankly rude. I'm standing here confessing my love for you and you're all prepared to just sweep it under the rug as another one of the crazy things I do! And guess what? This is crazy, loving you is the craziest thing I've ever done, but it's the one thing I can honestly say makes me a better man.' He watched her for the slightest movement, anything to admit that she believed him. 'Tell me you don't feel the same way and I'll leave, never speak of it again and let you go.'

She fiddled with her nightshirt, avoiding his eyes; he was getting her message loud and clear. He should never have told her. Biggest mistake he'd ever made right there, it even topped proposing to Sofia; God it hurt twice as bad! He walked to her door and out onto the landing before he even heard her behind him.

'I'm not over Henry,' she mumbled. 'Not yet.'

He spun to face her. 'What are you saying?'

'I'm not saying anything, I'm just asking for some time.' She walked up to him. 'You know I love you, it's not half obvious. But I need time to figure out where Henry falls in all this; please Daniel, be the man I need you to be and give me a little time.'

He could feel the grin spreading with every word she uttered. 'So there's hope?'

She smiled at him for the first time all morning. 'There's a lot of hope.'

He picked her up and spun her around. 'I love you,' he smiled giving her a quick kiss. 'Tell me when you're ready.'

'You'll be the first,' she beamed back at him.

He held her close as the sinking feeling engulfed him, swallowed him whole and gave him now route of escape. He was stuck, and for the first time in his life he didn't care. Being stuck with her was the best kind of stuck he could imagine. He laughed to himself, he'd wait until she was ready and then he'd never let go.


End file.
